TPWD Crab Trap Removal

by State Rep. J.M. Lozano

Wednesday

Feb 14, 2018 at 12:53 PMFeb 14, 2018 at 12:56 PM

The Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife has announced dates for removal of abandoned crab traps along the coast. Each February, volunteers spend 10 days on the water along the Texas coastline searching the bays for abandoned crab traps. To date, they’ve hauled off more than 32,000 of these derelict traps.

Between Feb. 16-25, Texas coastal waters will be closed to crabbing with wire mesh crab traps to facilitate the annual volunteer crab trap cleanup. Any traps left in bays — including traps tied to docks — will be assumed abandoned and considered “litter” under state law. This allows volunteers to legally remove any crab traps they find.

Volunteers are needed to assist in the coast-wide effort to remove the numerous traps that have been lost or abandoned since last year’s cleanup. To facilitate volunteer trap removal efforts, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) will provide crab trap drop-off sites at locations in each major bay system along the coast from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Feb. 17, weather permitting. Additionally at all sites, dumpsters or collection areas marked with banners will be available to receive traps for the duration of the closure. Volunteers may focus their efforts on Feb. 17 or work at their own pace anytime during the closure, but traps cannot be removed prior to Feb. 16 or after Feb. 25.